Group urges lawmakers to pass bills funding infrastructure work

The U.S. must increase its investment in infrastructure to ease unemployment in the construction industry, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. Simonson is urging lawmakers to pass bills that fund water, aviation, highway and transit projects. "All of these bills will deliver both short- and long-term benefits to the American public, while providing desperately needed jobs for construction workers in every state," Simonson said. Without additional legislation, nonresidential construction work will continue to contract, he added.